Hello, My name is Paul I'm addicted to tweaking my system

Paul's job as Polk's PR hack forces him to hobnob with rich
and famous audio journalists. It takes a tough man like Paul to take on the
tough jobs.

Bored? Got the feeling that surely there must be something you can do
to your audio system besides just sit there and enjoy it? If the answer is
"yes," come to grips with the fact that you are an audiophile. Yes, it is
embarrassing and a hard thing to admit, but there is hope. You could be
cured after years of expensive psychotherapy! Or you could just do like
the rest of us and give in to the cravings.

In past articles we've talked about the major issues of audio system
set up. Today let's cover a few of the little things.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

In the end, audio is all about vibes - some good, some not so good. The
controlled vibration made by your speakers' driver cones is a good
vibration. But if other anything else in the system vibrates, it's reduces
the fidelity of the music you hear. For example, the vibrations of poorly
made speaker enclosures act as secondary, uncontrolled sources of sound.
The result is lower clarity and definition. That's why Polk speaker
cabinets are made of dense, heavy materials - to reduce cabinet resonance
for better sound.

So let's take a look at other potential vibration spots and see how you
can eradicate them.

Stands and Spikes for Stability

The stability of your speakers can have an audible impact on the sound
of your system. Speakers that sway, rock and teeter tend to image poorly
and have reduced bass and definition. Ideally you want your speakers to be
rigid. If they rock or sway when nudged, you are losing some of the sound
quality you paid for. Here's what to do:

Floorstanding Models - If the speakers are on carpet, use carpet
spikes. Carpet spikes pass through the soft carpet and spongy pad to make
contact with the hard floor beneath, making the speaker far more rigid and
stable. Polk RT and RTi Series floorstanding models come with carpet
spikes that are hidden under the rubber feet (see illustration).
If your
speakers didn't come with carpet spikes, you can get accessories
generically referred to as "Tip Toes" - machined metal cones that sit
under the speakers - from high end specialty audio stores or on-line.

Once you have installed the spikes, push down firmly on the top of the
speaker to drive the point through the carpet and pad. If your speakers
are on an uncarpeted floor that a sharp spike could mar, use the rubber
cap. Floors are rarely perfectly flat, so you may find that the speaker
still rocks. If the speakers' feet/spikes are adjustable, set their
heights so that the speaker sits firmly on the floor without swaying.

Can't find the feet/spikes that came with your Polk speakers? Call Polk
Customer Service at (800) 223-5246 during East Coast business hours and
they'll send you a replacement set FREE.

Speaker Stands - If you have a bookshelf-sized speaker sitting
on the floor - shame and sacrilege! Get them on a shelf or speaker stand
where they have a chance of giving you good sound. Speaker stands should
be well-made and sturdy.

Choose a stand that is an appropriate size for the speaker. The
combined speaker/stand height should place the tweeter at or near your
seated ear height. If your speaker is on the large side (like an RT55),
make sure the stand's top plate and base are large enough to make the
whole assembly stable and sturdy.

If you are going to put the stands on carpet, make sure they come with
carpet spikes (see the floor-standing section above). The best stands are
made of heavy gauge steel tubes. If you're a real fanatic, fill the hollow
tubes with lead shot (never use sand) to make the stand super-heavy and
non-resonant.

Well-made wood stands are your next best choice. The better ones come
with floor spikes and metal studs on the top plate. Our favorite wood
stands are Sanus brand which are available in real wood veneers that match
Polk's RTi Series models.

Vibrations can also affect the performance of your electronic
components. The theories as to how soundwaves in the room can affect the
sound of electronic components are arcane and obscure. The important thing
is that devices that help isolate components from vibration can make an
audible difference. How much of a difference? Well, that depends on a lot
of factors but if you are looking for that last little tweak for your
system this could be it.

The most cost-effective vibration isolators we've found are Vibrapods.
The name sounds vaguely obscene but the improvement to your system sure
isn't - in most cases the results are clearly audible, especially when
they're used on source components like CD and DVD players. I put Vibrapods
on all of the components in my system and noticed an immediate improvement
in detail and imaging focus. These nifty and inexpensive (only $25 for a
set of four) gizmos have been widely praised by just about every high-end
magazine and website, including being named a Stereophile Recommended
Component.

Vibrapods are available from many specialty audio storefront and online
retailers. In way of putting our money where are mouths are, we decided to
sell Vibrapods in the Polk web store and offer a 100% satisfaction
guarantee. Check 'em out at
http://shop.polkaudio.com.

Quality Furniture Delivers Quality Sound

No isolating device can make even an ounce of difference if you have
your components on flimsy furniture. Low priced knockdown furniture is
made out of lightweight particle board and thin metal all held together
with weak hardware. You get what you pay for. Do your audio system (and
your home) a big favor and get well-made furniture that's specifically
designed for audio/video gear. A search of retail stores and web sites
will reveal a broad selection of quality brands including: Bell'Oggetti,
Standesign, Sound Organization, and our personal fave Sanus (available for
sale on the Polk web store). The better racks feature heavy 1/2" (or
thicker) MDF shelves, heavy gauge steel supports, real wood veneers and
thick tempered glass.

With the growing popularity of home theater, many furniture stores also
carry wall units and cabinets for audio/video components. Look for solid
materials and construction as well as overall build quality. Make sure
there is adequate ventilation for electronic components (high heat can
shorten the life of your gear) and provision for easily running wires from
one shelf to another.

Something for Nothing - Free Tweaks

Some of the best things in life are free, even in the audio business
(but not too often). Here are a couple of cheap tricks for better sound:

Wood screws may loosen up over time. Tighten all the screws on wood
enclosure speakers, including the ones that hold the drivers to the baffle
and the input plate. Be careful DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREWS as you run
the risk of stripping the wood.

If you are using bare wire or spade lugs, tighten all binding post
terminal nuts with a nut driver. Again, DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN or you'll strip
the threads and that will be a gigantic pain in the butt to fix. If you
have dual speaker inputs, make sure the post nuts are hand tight on the
unused pair.

Toe-in your speakers toward your listening position to get a more solid
center image. If your main speakers flank a TV, pull the speakers a few inches in front of the plane of the set to get more spacious imaging and
natural timbre.

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